#ad Red Velvet + Ginger Root Beer Can Cakes

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BOOItForward #CollectiveBiasHalloween is approaching. This means a few key things: your FaceBOOk is going to be bombarded with cutesy memes about the “first day of Halloween”. Stop that. It’s October, and you’re pushing it. This also means candy, parties, and a shockingly stark expose on the most popular costumes of the year, considering that they’re worn for about four hours before being discarded and repurposed as a t-shirt when you haven’t done your laundry. But we all know what the best part of Halloween is- the tricks, natch. I’ve partnered with MARS and Social Fabric to bring you a spooky-sweet can cake that will help you ‘BOO’ your friends this Halloween.My Halloween recipe, red velvet ghost cakes in a can, is a breeze, and features special treats inside and more than a few tricks. Walmart made for an easy, one-stop shop for all of the ingredients I needed- and what an easy trip it was! The best part about this recipe is that it’s completely portable and disposable, no dishes required. If you’re feeling especially crafty, you can probably even mix the cake in the soda cans, but I decided to go out on a limb and mix the batter in a bowl.The soda, one 8oz. can of A&W Root Beer, replaces eggs and oil in the cake mix. After that, just add candy to your heart’s content. I used MARS chocolate fun-size mix and chopped up Twix®, Snickers®, and peanut M&M’s®. To prevent them from sinking, I reserved a little of the cake mix and tossed the candies in it before stirring them in. It also helps that the batter is stiff and rich– be sure to cut the candies into very small pieces, or the edges of the cake will likely burn.The soda can cake pans are as easy as could be- just use a basic can opener around the lip of the can and crank it open. Be sure to leave the tab on the can after pouring the soda into another receptacle so that you can easily remove the lid without risking injury. The lip will be smooth after, but if there are any rough edges, sand them down with fine-grit sandpaper or a wire brush. They’re very easy to prepare after that- spray them with cooking spray or a little melted butter, pour in the batter, and bake at 350 until the cake is golden brown and rises to the top. The candies are suspended in the cake and are nice and melty– just spoon some frosting on top when cooled, sprinkle candy over the top, and serve to your hungry ghouls and guests!This BOO cake is very easy and can even be created into an neat kit for your friends and family to enjoy on the go, thanks to some handy plastic containers and lids. Using a standard mini soda can lid and a small container, you can store the frosting separately and let friends build their own cake or store them for later. I like gifting mine to friends with candy, some rubber bugs, and an invitation to come watch Rocky Horror with me come the big day. If you’re keen on making these can cakes, Walmart has all of these supplies and more for you to #BOOItForward, and they have a BOOitiful sweepstakes for you to enter as well. MARS will have demos available at stores nationwide this weekend here (insert link) so you can enjoy the Halloween fun. Happy BOOing!